This document provides guidance on writing essays by explaining that an essay expands on the basic paragraph structure with a thesis statement and topic sentences supporting points. It outlines the steps for writing an effective essay, including selecting a topic, analyzing the question, researching, developing an outline and draft, and revising. Key parts of analyzing an essay question are understanding the directive verbs and identifying content and delimiting words to properly focus the response.

1. Success with Writing
Online Workshop
Part 4: Paragraph to Essay
Created by: Jane Mangano

2. Paragraph to essay
• If you can write a paragraph, you can write an
essay.
• An essay is a bit like a paragraph on steroids.
• The topic sentence becomes a thesis
statement.
• Each point from the thesis, becomes a topic
sentence.
• It will all make sense! I promise!

3. What is an essay?
• “An essay is an extended piece of writing that
presents and supports a thesis or
proposition.”
• “When you write an essay you are making a
case for the validity of a particular point of
view, analysis, interpretation, or set of facts or
procedures.” (Dawson, 2007, p 5)
• Dawson, J. (2007). The little blue writing book: essays. Bentley, Australia.

4. Why are we asked to write essays?
• Spend a few minutes writing down all the
reasons you can think of for writing essays –
write some ideas into the first task.
• Why do university lecturers ask students to
write essays?

5. Did you think of any of these points?
• To develop transferable skills
• To consolidate learning
• To encourage you to think about the
important concepts
• To encourage you to explore topics and
engage with key experts in the field.
• Indicates to your lecturer how well you
understand.

6. How do you approach essay writing
now?
• What are the steps that you follow in writing
your essays?
• Make a detailed list of the steps you currently
follow when writing an essay.
• This should take about five minutes.

7. Steps in writing a good essay
1. Select your essay topic
2. Analyse the question
3. Create a plan ‘take one’
4. Find and assess resources
5. Research/read/take notes/organise notes
6. Create a plan ‘take two’
7. Write first draft
8. Carry out first aid on first draft
9. Final Draft
10. Proofread, proofread, proofread...
11. Attach cover sheet, hand in on time, relax... Until next time!
Adapted from Central QLD University Learning Support ‘The Academic Essay’
http://dtls.cqu.edu.au/clc/2-1-1.html

8. It’s all in the timing
• If your 2500 essay is due in week 8, when is the ideal time to begin
the essay writing process?
• What percentage of time should be spent on:
a) analysis, researching and planning
b) developing a draft
c) revising, editing, referencing, proofreading?
If you don’t believe me, go to University of Melbourne’s ‘Language
and Learning Skills Unit Tertiary Essay Writing’
http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/asu/download/Writing-
TertiaryEssayWriting-booklet.pdf

9. Selecting an essay topic
• Choose a topic that interests you
• Make sure there are adequate resources
available
• Consider what you already know about each
of the topics

10. Analyse the question
Make sure you
understand the
meaning of all words
in the question
Limiting words and
phrases
Directive words
Content words and phrases

11. Understand the directive verbs
• account for explain (reason)
• analyse examine closely, examine in parts, show how
the parts contribute to the whole
• argue present a case for and/or against assess decide
the value of, judge, measure the importance of
compare discuss two or more things in terms of their
similarities and differences
• critically evaluate weigh arguments for and against
something, assessing all evidence. Decide which
opinions, theories, models or items are preferable.
• define explain, give full meaning(s), make clear what is
meant by, use definition/s to explore the concept of

12. Understand the directive verbs
• describe give a detailed account of the features
of something without interpreting the
information
• discuss present and give a judgement on the
value of arguments for and against, consider all
angles
• distinguish bring out the differences between
two possibly confusable items
• enumerate an item-by-item account, such as all
the steps in a process

13. Understand the directive verbs
• evaluate judge, criticise in terms of
impact/significance, and investigate the implications
• examine make clear the details/meaning of, look in
particular at reasons causes and effects, account for,
give reasons, justify explore describe in detail, and note
impact
• illustrate use examples to show a concept
• indicate focus on specific areas (similar to illustrate)
• interpret make clear the meaning of, consider
implications
• narrate concentrate on saying what happened, telling
a story

14. Understand the directive verbs
• outline describe main features, a broad but thorough
account, identify briefly the main features of
• prove show by logical argument
• relate show similarities and connections between two or
more things
• review describe chief features, criticise generally
(important parts)
• To what extent consider how far something is true or not
true, consider how far something contributes to a final
outcome
• trace identify and describe the development or history of
• what is describe
• Adapted from Cottrell, S 1999, The study skills handbook, MacMillan Press, London.

15. What other words are important?
• Content words: These are the words that tell
you about the topic. What area of study will
you be looking at?
• Delimiting words: these words limit your
research to a particular place, time or
demographic.

16. What else should I be looking for?
• Make sure you understand what the lecturer is
looking for in your essay.
• Where does this essay fit with the unit
outcomes?
• How many words are required?
• Study the marking key, study the marking key,
study the marking key.........

17. Time to have a go
• Analyse these essay topics.
• Highlight the directive verbs in green.
• Highlight the content words in red.
• Highlight the delimiting words in blue.
• Critically evaluate two contemporary
theories of nursing.
• To what extent does obesity impact upon the
coronary health of middle age women.

18. How did you go?
• Critically evaluate two contemporary
theories of nursing.
• To what extent does obesity impact upon the
coronary health of middle age women.

19. Standard essay model
• Taken from JCU Study Skills Online http://www.jcu.edu.au/tldinfo/writingskills/essay/structure.html

20. End of Part 4
Please ensure you have completed
each of the tasks in section 4
online.